---
title: Puffers (Tetraodontidae)
scientific_name: Tetraodontidae
common_name: Puffers
rank: Family
published: 2024-11-19T18:41:51.573Z
updated: 2026-08-03T21:09:58.688Z
tags: Puffers, Tetraodontidae, Red Sea, Marine Life, Diving
url: https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/puffers
---

# Puffers (*Tetraodontidae*)

## Quick facts

- **Rank:** Family
- **Scientific name:** Tetraodontidae
- **Body shape:** Box - Rigid, boxy or globe-like body that cannot bend - boxfishes, puffers, porcupinefishes.
- **Species listed here:** 9

## How to recognise this group

- robust, rounded body outline
- small fins
- scaleless skin, smooth or with prickles
- ability to inflate body into a sphere
- slow, deliberate swimming

Puffers (Tetraodontidae) are marine fish with robust, often rounded bodies and small fins. Their scaleless skin ranges from smooth to covered in small prickles. Species vary in size from 10 cm (4 in) to over 60 cm (24 in), with colour patterns ranging from plain grey or brown to intricate spots, lines, and blotches. The scientific name, Tetraodontidae, refers to their four strong teeth fused into upper and lower plates. Known commonly as puffers, they rapidly inflate their elastic stomachs with water when threatened, presenting a larger, more difficult-to-swallow form to predators.

These fish are commonly observed on coral reefs, rubble fields, and sandy bottoms, typically living in depths from 1 to 50 metres (3 to 165 ft). They use their strong fused teeth to crush the shells of crustaceans and molluscs, which are their primary prey. These are typically solitary, slow-moving fish, frequently encountered by divers across the Red Sea.


## Species (9)

- [Back Puffer (Lagocephalus sceleratus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/puffers/back-puffer)
- [Blue-Spotted Toby (Canthigaster cyanospilota)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/puffers/blue-spotted-toby)
- [Immaculate Puffer (Arothron immaculatus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/puffers/immaculate-puffer)
- [Masked Puffer (Arothron diadematus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/puffers/masked-puffer)
- [Pygmy Toby (Canthigaster pygmaea)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/puffers/pygmy-toby)
- [Red Sea Toby (Canthigaster margaritata)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/puffers/red-sea-toby)
- [Starry Puffer (Arothron stellatus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/puffers/starry-puffer)
- [Whitespotted Puffer (Arothron hispidus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/puffers/whitespotted-puffer)
- [Yellowspoted Puffer (Torquigener flavimaculosus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/puffers/yellowspoted-puffer)

---

*Source: [Red Sea Creatures](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/puffers)*
*Updated: August 3, 2026*